Fired Federal Workers Tell MSNBC They Are Still Confused Why They Don’t Have Jobs After Watching Trump Speech

Former federal workers fired under President Donald Trump’s second administration told MSNBC that they remain confused about why they are unemployed after watching the president’s address before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday.

Trump touted the cuts made in the federal government under his leadership during his speech, declaring that “the days of being ruled by unelected bureaucrats is over” as Elon Musk looked on from inside the House chamber. The billionaire continues to fight for sweeping federal budget cuts, recommended through his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

NBC News political and national correspondent Jacob Soboroff spoke with four former federal employees to get their reaction to Trump’s speech. All were fired under the massive cuts being made by Trump’s administration.

“Does anybody feel like they understand better why they were fired after watching the speech tonight?” Soboroff asked the four fired employees after Trump’s address.

All four quickly shook their heads no.

“Nobody? Okay,” Soboroff noted.

Jesus Murillo was a Presidential Management Fellow working with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Presidential Management Fellows Program was shuttered under Trump after nearly 50 years, and Murillo argued Trump has it wrong as the program is merit-based.

“This is a 100% merit-based program. People coming in are taking jobs that have lesser pay, they want to serve the American public, and for you to blanket statement say the entire bureaucracy is untamed and doesn’t have any tether into anything, I mean, look at us, we’re everyday, average Americans that just want to serve the American public and we’re not allowed to do that,” he said.

Nagela Nukuna, who worked for the U.S. Digital Service, said she was focused on duties similar to that of DOGE in that her job was about making federal immigration systems faster and “more efficient.”

Nukuna reacted the strongest to Trump’s speech when he said only a “new president” was needed to secure the southern border, touting his mass deportation plan in effect.

“I think the demonization of immigrants in the speech today was as disappointing as it was frightening. And the thing that bothered me is it’s a multifaceted approach that we need to attack the immigration problem,” she said.

Alex Taylor worked for the U.S. Geological Survey, and he said he’s perplexed about his firing, especially with the United States looking to enter into a critical minerals deal with Ukraine as part of a larger process to end the country’s ongoing war with Russia.

“It bothers me that he’s more interested in engaging in neocolonialism to get minerals from other countries, rather than supporting the scientists and the researchers who are aiding the minerals industry here in America,” Taylor said.

The geologist also scoffed at Trump’s criticism of some government employees not showing up to the office, noting that his job and the jobs of many others require them to be in the field. Also on the panel was Katherine Steele, who worked for the U.S. Forest Service.

“We do work in laboratories at the office, but lots of people are in the field. Every day we monitor the nation’s waterways, e monitor earthquakes, volcanoes, and other hazards,” Taylor said. “We study ecosystems. So our office is our nation’s lands.”

Watch above via MSNBC.